Hinge assembly and foldable electronic device with same

Abstract

An exemplary hinge assembly includes a shaft, a cam, a pin, a follower, a shift member, a socket, a first spring, and a second spring. A pinhole is defined in the shaft. The cam, the follower, and the shift member are rotatably sleeved on the shaft. The cam has a cam surface and a spiral slot. The pin is disposed in the pinhole and the spiral slot. The follower has an anti-rotating portion and a cam surface for engaging with the cam surface of the cam. The shift member has a controlling portion for slidably engaging with the anti-rotating portion. The first and the second spring are sleeved on the shaft. An end of the first spring resists the follower and another end of the first spring resists the shift member. An end of the second spring resists the follower and another end of the second spring resisting the socket.

1 . A hinge assembly comprising:
 a shaft, wherein a pinhole is defined in the shaft;   a cam having a cam surface and a spiral slot, the cam rotatably sleeved on the shaft;   a pin disposed in the pinhole of the shaft and the spiral slot of the cam so that the cam being slidable and rotatable relative to the shaft;   a follower having a cam surface and an anti-rotating portion, the follower rotatably sleeved on the shaft, and the cam surface of the follower engaging with the cam surface of the cam;   a shift member having a controlling portion, the shift member being rotatably sleeved on the shaft, the controlling portion of the shift member slidable engaged with the anti-rotating portion of the follower so that the shift member being slidable and non-rotatable relative to the follower;   a first resilient element sleeved on the shaft, with a first end of the first resilient element resisting the follower and an opposite second end of the first resilient element resisting the shift member;   a socket secured on the shaft, the shift member locked into or unlocked from the socket; and   a second resilient element sleeved on the shaft, with a first end of the second resilient element resisting the follower to drive the cam surface of the follower to engage with the cam surface of the cam and an opposite second end of the second resilient element resisting the socket.   
     
     
         2 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly further includes a sleeve, the sleeve is sleeved on the shaft and between the follower and the shift member, the follower and the shift member are slidably engaged with the sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the follower has a sliding groove, the sleeve has a sliding arm, the sliding arm of the sleeve is slidably engaged in the sliding groove. 
     
     
         4 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve has a guiding groove, the shift member has a guiding arm, the guiding arm is slidably engaged in the guiding groove. 
     
     
         5 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a shaft head and a shaft body extending from an end of the shaft head, the pinhole is defined in the shaft head and running therethrough. 
     
     
         6 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a first end of the shaft body connects with the shaft head, an opposite second end of the shaft body defines a deformed shaft portion, and the socket defines a deformed hole, the deformed hole is engaged with the deformed shaft portion. 
     
     
         7 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the hinge assembly further includes a clip, the deformed shaft portion defines a stub, and the clip is engaged with the stub and resists the socket. 
     
     
         8 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the socket is a hollow cylinder in shape, a separating plate is defined at an inside wall of the socket, and the separating plate defines the deformed hole and a rib adjacent to the deformed hole. 
     
     
         9 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shift member defines a tab and the socket defines a pit, and the tab of the shift member is configured for engaging with the pit of the socket such that the shift member locks into the socket. 
     
     
         10 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly further includes a button, the button is partially accommodated in the socket and resists the shift member. 
     
     
         11 . The hinge assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the hinge assembly further includes a fixing member, the fixing member is secured in the socket such that the button is prevented from popping out of the socket. 
     
     
         12 . A foldable electronic device, comprising:
 a main body;   a cover; and   a hinge assembly pivotably connecting the main body and the cover, the hinge assembly comprising:   a shaft, wherein a pinhole is defined in the shaft;   a cam having a cam surface and a spiral slot, the cam rotatably sleeved on the shaft;   a pin disposed in the pinhole of the shaft and the spiral slot of the cam so that the cam being slidable and rotatable relative to the shaft;   a follower having a cam surface and an anti-rotating portion, the follower rotatably sleeved on the shaft, and the cam surface of the follower engaging with the cam surface of the cam;   a shift member having a controlling portion, the shift member being rotatably sleeved on the shaft, the controlling portion of the shift member slidable engaged with the anti-rotating portion of the follower so that the shift member being slidable and non-rotatable relative to the follower;   a first resilient element sleeved on the shaft, with a first end of the first resilient element resisting the follower and an opposite second end of the first resilient element resisting the shift member;   a socket secured on the shaft, the shift member locked into or unlocked from the socket; and   a second resilient element sleeved on the shaft, with a first end of the second resilient element resisting the follower to drive the cam surface of the follower to engage with the cam surface of the cam and an opposite second end of the second resilient element resisting the socket, wherein the cam is non-rotatably engaged with one of the cover and main body, the follower is non-rotatably engaged with another one of the cover and main body.   
     
     
         13 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the foldable electronic device further includes a sleeve, wherein the sleeve is sleeved on the shaft and between the follower and the shift member, the follower and the shift member are slidably engaged with the sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the follower has a sliding groove and the sleeve has a sliding arm, and the sliding arm of the sleeve is slidably engaged in the sliding groove. 
     
     
         15 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve has a guiding groove and the shift member has a guiding arm, the guiding arm is slidably received in the guiding groove. 
     
     
         16 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the shaft comprises a shaft head and a shaft body extending from an end of the shaft head, the pinhole is defined in the shaft head and running therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein a first end of the shaft body connects with the shaft head, an opposite second end of the shaft body defines a deformed shaft portion, and the socket defines a deformed hole, the deformed hole is engaged with the deformed shaft portion. 
     
     
         18 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the foldable electronic device further includes a clip, the deformed shaft portion defines a stub, and the clip is engaged with the stub and resists the socket. 
     
     
         19 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the socket is a hollow cylinder in shape, a separating plate is defined at an inside wall of the socket, and the separating plate defines the deformed hole and a rib adjacent to the deformed hole. 
     
     
         20 . The foldable electronic device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the shift member defines a tab and the socket defines a pit, and the tab of the shift member is configured for engaging with the pit of the socket such that the shift member locks into the socket.